Members of Parliament from the Defence and Internal Affairs Committee are urging the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to prioritize funding for the construction of a mini-max prison in Mbarara District to address severe congestion at Mbarara Main Prison. The recommendation is part of the committee’s report on the National Budget Framework Paper for the Financial Year 2024/2025.
According to Committee Chairperson Wilson Kajwengye, the pressing need for a new maximum-security prison, estimated to cost 18 billion Shillings, arises from the alarming statistics provided by the Uganda Prisons Service. The current prisoner population of 77,316 far exceeds the approved capacity of 20,996, resulting in dire conditions such as lack of sleep, privacy, and poor hygiene practices among inmates.
Kajwengye attributed the congestion to delayed justice from the Judiciary and the slow pace of increasing prison capacity. To alleviate the situation, the committee recommends enhancing access to justice by aligning prisons with courts of law and ensuring the timely production of prisoners for court proceedings.
Echoing concerns, Sheema Municipality’s Dicksons Kateshumbwa emphasized the need for urgent action to release inmates serving beyond their sentence timeline.
In a bid to tackle nationwide prison congestion, Elly Muhumuza, Commissioner of Planning and Development at Uganda Prisons, proposed the construction of 16 new regional mini-maximum prisons across the country. Each mini-max prison is estimated to cost around 102.9 billion Shillings, with the goal of accommodating at least 4000 prisoners.
The Uganda Prison Service faces various budgetary challenges, including food shortages for the daily average of 81,729 prisoners on the feeding program. The Ministry of Finance tabled a supplementary budget of 79 billion Shillings during the Financial Year 2022/23 to offset food arrears of 158.94 billion, leaving a significant shortfall.
The financial constraints extend to other areas, such as the procurement of blankets and mattresses for prisoners. Budget requests for uniforms, accessories, and protective gear also face shortfalls, impacting the overall well-being of prison staff.